I have a 60 gallon with tons of lava rock, I have an african female that has been holding for about 2 weeks now. She is well aware when the net hits the tank, I try to net her during feedings, but she always seems to evade me since she is not interested in eating. Any suggestions on how to get her w/out tearing my tank apart. And once caught can I put her in net breeder... it is a fairly large one... about the size of a 5gallon tank. Will she spit when in the breeder because she is still in the tank w/ the rest of the fish and she can see them, does she need to be totally sucluded???
Cichlid holding, need help!
- Thread starter lacie559
- Start date
Welcome to mft! I'm sorry I can't help a whole lot I haven't ever been in your situation, but I moved your post to a new thread so that you can get some individual attention 
In my past experience, it pays to be patient with trying to net difficult fish Perhaps try leaving the net in the tank so she gets "used" to it?
In my past experience, it pays to be patient with trying to net difficult fish
Perhaps try leaving the net in the tank so she gets "used" to it?
Good luck catching her! Mine are all the same way. I have three and I just give up. They are very defensive and know when the net is in there not to come out. I also tried what Froggy suggested and they swam away as soon my hand was near the net as they would not really come near the net. I even left it in there a few days!
I tried one last attempt while feeding as one female likes a certain food and she came to the top and I tried to scoop her with a net. I ended up just making a splash and netting the wrong fish.
So far I spotted 1 or two fry living under and between rocks. I also tried to get them but no success.
I just wonder if catching her would cause stress where she spits or swallows the eggs or fry not ready to be left go. So I just stopped stressing mine out.
I tried one last attempt while feeding as one female likes a certain food and she came to the top and I tried to scoop her with a net. I ended up just making a splash and netting the wrong fish.
So far I spotted 1 or two fry living under and between rocks. I also tried to get them but no success.
I just wonder if catching her would cause stress where she spits or swallows the eggs or fry not ready to be left go. So I just stopped stressing mine out.
Yea!!!! I Finally caught her!
So patience is really a virtue!! I left two nets in there for several days and took small rocks and blocked her usual pathways, moved the net belowe her VERY SLOWLY and swooped her up... while netting her one of the fry popped out with the egg still attached so I put her in a net breeder in the tank and am gonna wait about a week or two.
So patience is really a virtue!! I left two nets in there for several days and took small rocks and blocked her usual pathways, moved the net belowe her VERY SLOWLY and swooped her up... while netting her one of the fry popped out with the egg still attached so I put her in a net breeder in the tank and am gonna wait about a week or two.